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The world's smallest Manneken Pis? Tiny replica carved on pencil tip

09:11 05/04/2023

A Brussels-based Indian expat has carved what may be the smallest replica of Belgium’s famous Manneken Pis statue - on the tip of a pencil.

Measuring at just 1.5 centimetres long and 0.2 centimetres wide, the carving took Rakshith Kumar Niduvaje around eight hours to complete.

“The most challenging task was maintaining continuous focus and determination in order to complete the sculpture and make it resemble the original as closely as possible,” Niduvaje said.

“It was also a challenge to carve out the hands and fingers – I really had to hold my breath and have a steady vision and hand control to carve these granularities.”

Niduvaj was born in Mangaluru City in India and moved to Brussels a few months ago to work for an accounting firm.

The hobby artist was inspired to carve the tiny sculpture after learning the legend of Manneken Pis, citing a warm welcome to the city that included stories of the famous statue and its place in Belgium’s heritage.

Niduvaj has been carving micro statues on the tips of pencils since he was a teenager and said that creating a replica of Manneken Pis seemed like the perfect way to mark the start of his time in Brussels.

The carving may be the smallest replica of the statue ever created.

Niduvaj said he wished to dedicate the creation “to the Belgian people who have spent so many centuries believing the goodness of Manneken Pis.”

Written by Helen Lyons